Interrelations between the heart mass, carcass mass and age in male European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Summary.

The study was conducted on 83 hearts of roe deer aged one to nine. The animals were divided into three groups depending on their age: one-year-old, two- to three-year-old, as well as four-year-old and older. It was concluded that the mass of heart and carcass increases with age. However, the average heart to carcass mass ratio, which is contained between 1.13-1.24%, is not statistically different between the age groups. It proves the balance of changes the animal is undergoing in the course of its life. High correlation (r = 0.7) between the heart mass and carcass mass in male roe deer also proves this fact.